1. Field of the Invention
The invention finds particular although not exclusive application in the footwear sector and in the sector concerning the components constituting the structure of a shoe.
Its main application is particularly found in the technical-sport sector for clothing for use in motorcycling.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
The object of this invention is a technical footwear sole with ventilation induced by the Venturi effect.
The sole is a fundamental component in footwear. This sole is the part placed directly in contact with the ground, therefore its lower surface is characterized by numerous projections and grooves for the most part aimed at increasing the adherence of the footwear to the underlying ground.
The known art presents innumerable forms and structures of soles for footwear, solutions that are differentiated from each other by the type of footwear, namely classic, casual, sports and technical.
In particular, the motorcycling footwear sector presents a specific demand for boots provided with good internal ventilation. This demand is essentially due to the fact that the foot suffers to a certain extent as a result of the lack of internal ventilation because of high temperatures in the summer season, because the upper part of this specific type of footwear is generally made of leather, leathercloth or some variation with certain portions made of leather combined with technical parts in metal or plastic materials with high resistance to wear and friction, and because of climatic conditions and natural sweating by the foot. With the purpose of avoiding this disadvantage, some solutions have been suggested, such as essentially providing air ducts having a channelling function, namely to inwardly conduct, in an opportune way, strong airflow involving the exterior of the footwear while the motor vehicle is in motion.
Applications concerning airflow ducts are also found in sports and classic footwear. For example, in Swiss Patent No. CH653533 by Favini, airflow ducts comprises a series of parallel channels running longitudinally along the sole of the footwear, and air vents placed vertically behind the heel of the footwear are provided. The air vents are activated by means of a suction action produced by the alternation of pressure on the sole while walking.
British Patent No. GB512046 by Roselli also describes an internal ventilation system for sports footwear provided with a series of parallel channels of external air vents arranged laterally, external to the upper and also activated by means of a suction action produced by the pressure of the foot on the sole while walking.
The prior art further includes technical solutions provided with airflow inlet openings placed on the boot-top of the boot that subsequently conduct the air to the interior of the footwear, by means of vertical channels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,749 (Berlese) in fact describes a boot for technical-motorcycling clothing provided with two external air inlet ducts placed at the top of the boot-top, comprising a horizontal entry that subsequently develops vertically, running along the entire boot-top, with internal air inlet points of which one is placed in the vicinity of the heel for the ventilation of the back of the footwear and one placed in an intermediate position in the footwear for the ventilation of the front of said footwear.
The prior art most similar to the object of this invention, in the opinion of the applicant, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,027 (Berlese). The patent mentioned describes a solution in the form of a boot for technical-motorcycling clothing provided with two horizontal air entries placed at the top of the boot-top that conduct the airflow that runs through the footwear towards the entry, by means of a single vertical duct. At the height of the sole, the duct meets a central channel, running along the upper surface of the sole. In the extreme front position, it divides into two return channels placed along the lateral edges of the footwear that in turn end with another two vertical channels placed next to the aforementioned vertical inlet duct. The horizontal portions of the channels described, placed above the sole, are equipped with internal ventilation holes. In particular, the central one is for air inlet, and those placed laterally for internal air suction are for subsequent expulsion through the return channels. The writer states that the air expulsion effect can be favored by the Venturi effect that is generated at the air entrances on entry.
All this considered, it is possible to affirm reasonably that:
soles are known for footwear provided with a ventilation system including a series of internal aeration channels and holes;
internal structures are known for footwear provided with a ventilation system including a series of channels that suck the external air while walking due to the effect of the alternated pressure of the foot on the sole, and aeration holes for internal distribution and diffusion; and
soles are known for footwear that are provided with a ventilation system consisting of a pneumatic circuit including a series of channels that transmit, to the interior of the footwear, the airflow involving the external surface of same. Other channels are instead connected to the first pneumatically that allow the expulsion of the internal air, aided by a Venturi effect that is put into effect at the entrance of the inlet channels of the air circuit.
It has been seen in principle that well-known products can offer good applicative solutions for footwear soles provided with systems for internal ventilation including air distribution channels and holes. However, the solutions known particularly in the motorcycling sector fail to exploit and fail to completely optimize the natural airflow that runs externally to the boot itself, to obtain an internal ventilation benefit in the interior of the footwear.
The technique described in CH653533 (Favini) and in GB512046 (Roselli), presents internal ventilation systems that are activated by the alternated pressure of the foot on the sole of the footwear, while walking. An action produces the suction of the external air through the channels placed in the sole or laterally on the upper.
On the contrary, the boot described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,749 (Berlese) only obtains partial internal ventilation efficiency, since the air ducts enter into the interior of the footwear in two localized points. Moreover, the external air inlet channel does not appear to be placed in an optimal position in order to be able to be involved by a sufficient external airflow.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,027 (Berlese) does not appear to offer an efficient ventilation system since the Venturi effect mentioned in the patent specification will partially be implemented during the use of the described boot. Since a narrowing of the passage section is not indicated at any point, it is given that the channels described all seem to present the same section. The Venturi effect that is mentioned should originate near the entrance of the air inlet channels and should therefore facilitate air circulation in the circuit and its subsequent expulsion from the boot. The internal ventilation, however, may remain limited since there are few inlet holes on the interior of the boot with respect to the whole surface of the footwear, and they are only located in a central position.
Finally, all the solutions described present the disadvantage ofpossible accidental migrations of rainwater into the interior of the footwear, by means of air inlet entrances.
Therefore the need arises for companies, particularly in the sector, to identify more effective alternative solutions that encapsulate all the functionalities already mentioned, with respect to the solutions in existence until now.
The aim of this invention is also to avoid the drawbacks described.